The Travelling Tortoise

Pool area (added by manager 23 Jul 2018)

Loading image…

Pool area (added by manager 23 jul 2018)
1/8
1/11
Favourite

This site does not currently take bookings here on Pitchup.com.

If you are the owner of this site, start taking bookings through Pitchup.com.
It's free, quick and easy!

Add your business details

  • Off-grid eco retreat six and a half kilometres from De Rust
  • Set in the Klein Karoo area with spectacular views
  • Outdoor pool and modern shower and toilet block
A fan of the slow life? Make like its namesake and wind down gently at The Travelling Tortoise, an off-grid eco retreat six and a half kilometres from the village of De Rust in the Western Cape. Nature fans are going to love this one: the retreat is in the Klein Karoo area of grassland and semi-desert, with the green pastures of the Middelplaas valley in front, the spectacular Red Stone Hills to the right and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Swartberg mountains behind. The area's also a wildlife and nature haven, where tortoises, hares, small game and colourful birds are frequently spotted around the site and among the surrounding bush made up of cacti, succulent plants and pink fynbos shrubland. The Travelling Tortoise is a level site at the foot of the mountains, with a short hike winding upwards for scenic views. The pool is a good size for essential dips on hot South African days. Evenings can be spent in the blazing light of a campfire or huddled around the barbecue having a good old chinwag. And all this hot weather is sure to help you drum up an appetite… handily, De Rust has plenty of restaurants to pick from and Oudtshoorn is another good spot for grabbing a bite to eat.

Site type

Tent sites 7
RV sites 6
Lodges, cabins, pods or huts 4
Open all year

Languages spoken

English

Nearest sites

Unfortunately, we have no nearby bookable sites.

See all results in South Africa

Features

Dogs allowed

Campfires allowed

Leisure on park

Bar or club house

Cycle hire

Evening entertainment

Fishing

Fitness centre

Indoor swimming pool

Kids' club

On-site restaurant/cafe

Outdoor swimming pool

Playground

Recreation room/arcade

TV room

Takeout

Tennis

Watersports

Amenities on park

Bath available

Car parking by site/unit

Composting toilet

Disabled facilities

Dog park

Drying room

Free wifi

Grocery store

Ice pack freezing

Internet access

Laundromat

Parent & baby washroom

Payphone

Pick-up from public transport

Portable toilet

Pub toilets

Restrooms

Shower available

Washing-up area

Wifi

Groups welcome

Family friendly

Motorcycle friendly

Rallies welcome

Single-sex groups welcome

Student groups welcome

Rules

Barbecue grills allowed

Barbecue provided

Campfires allowed

Commercial vehicles allowed

Dogs allowed

Dogs allowed all year

Themes

Forest

Hikers’ paradise

Peaceful

Remote location

Spectacular scenery

Wild camping

Wildlife haven

Utilities

Charging facilities

Dump station

Electric car charging point(s)

Propane/gas cylinders available

Recycling available

Renewable energy

Nearby amenities

Bar nearby

Dog walk nearby

Type

Small (11-25 sites)

Nearby leisure

Climbing nearby

Horseback riding nearby

Mountain biking nearby

Location

The Travelling Tortoise

Tortoise Lane

Middleplaas

De Rust

Western Cape

South Africa

6650

Directions

Timezone

Africa/Johannesburg +0200 (GMT+02:00)

GPS

-33.50405°N
22.62178°W

Please note: All distances on this page are calculated "as the crow flies" - please check actual distance depending on your mode of travel using the Get directions button above.

Local attractions

Crazy about hiking? The Meiringspoort Pass – a cliff-lined path connecting the Little Karoo and the Great Karoo – is only a 20-minute drive away. If you’ve worked up a bit of a sweat you can also take a dip at the popular Meiringspoort Waterfall (25 minutes). No South African trip would be complete without visiting an ostrich farm, and luckily Oudtshoorn (50 minutes from the site) is considered the ostrich capital of the world. You can feed the birds and take a guided tour from a tractor-pulled trailer before stopping off for a meal or a drink at the café and restaurant. Cango Wildlife Ranch in Oudtshoorn has over 90 different species of animals and they're so well treated here that the ranch has been duly accredited; share some snap-worthy experiences here, such as meeting a cheetah and cage diving with crocodiles. The Cango Caves – still in the city but a little further out – turns any stalag-mights into stalag-definites, with its vast halls and illuminated dripstone caverns.

Reviews

No reviews yet.

​
  • Does The Travelling Tortoise have a swimming pool? Yes View all features
  • Is The Travelling Tortoise dog friendly? Yes View all features
  • What attractions are near The Travelling Tortoise? Crazy about hiking? The Meiringspoort Pass – a cliff-lined path connecting the Little Karoo and the Great Karoo – is only a 20-minute drive away. If you’ve worked up a bit of … Read more
  • When can I check in and check out of The Travelling Tortoise?
    RV, travel trailer and tent sites
    Arrive:  Anytime –  Anytime
    Depart by:  Anytime
    Read more